Protesters rally for a fourth day over acquittal of an ex-policeman for killing a black man

Protesters took to the streets of downtown St Louis on Monday after three nights of arrests and scuffles with police during demonstrations in the city against the acquittal of a white former police officer for killing a black man in 2011.

More than 80 people were arrested late on Sunday, when police in riot-gear used pepper spray and detained demonstrators who had defied orders to disperse following larger, peaceful protests. The violence evoked memories of riots following the 2014 shooting of a black teenager by a white officer in nearby Ferguson.

The protests followed a judge’s ruling on Friday finding Jason Stockley (36) not guilty of first-degree murder in the 2011 shooting death of Anthony Lamar Smith (24).

On Monday, some demonstrators in St Louis vowed the protests would continue, as 75 demonstrators assembled downtown before the start of business.

“We are the system. We make up the system. That’s the new narrative. We will affect your peace. We will make you uncomfortable,” said Bruce Franks, a Ferguson activist who was elected to the state legislature.